There is a proven and growing market for book-to-film and book-to-television adaptations with a largely female following.
Book to screen adaptations are nothing new, especially within the dystopian and fantasy genre, Game of Thrones remains one of the most popular television series of all time, while Stephen King’s novels are adapted to screen on a near-yearly basis for decades. The Young Adult genre also experienced a major boom in screen adaptations throughout the 2000s and 2010s with franchises such as Divergent, The Maze Runner, The Hunger Games, Harry Potter, and Twilight, dominating screens worldwide.
More recently, however, there has been a noticeable shift toward adapting thrillers and romance novels, particularly titles with passionate, predominantly female fanbases. This shift reflects both the changing audience demand and the influence of online communities, such as “BookTok”, in driving a book’s popularity toward screen success.
Recent Successes
His & Hers
Most recently, Netflix’s limited series His & Hers was adapted from Alice Feeney’s best selling thriller mystery novel of the same name. Led by Jon Bernthal and Tessa Thompson, the series topped Netflix’s TV charts for two consecutive weeks, becoming a smash hit, to start off the new year, for the platform. The adaptation also generated renewed online buzz for Feeney, who is best known for her acclaimed novel Rock Paper Scissors.
His & Hers follows a detective and a news reporter – estranged spouses, who are forced to reunite to solve a murder in which they each suspect the other may be responsible. Across six episodes, the series allows space for character exploration giving both Bernthal and Thompson the opportunity to deliver compelling performances, with an ending no one would expect.
The Housemaid
Adapted from Freida McFadden’s best selling psychological thriller, The Housemaid follows a desperate young woman who accepts a live in maid position for a wealthy family, only to uncover disturbing secrets. Starring Amanda Seyfried, Sydney Sweeney, and Brandon Sklenar, the film is a fast paced and explosive thriller packed with twists that keep audiences glued to the screen.
Paul Feig remains faithful to the source material, leaning into the novel’s over the top third act which fortunately translated effectively on screen. Seyfried’s intense lead turn and Sklenar’s paradoxical performance, helps ground the heightened storytelling.
The film quickly became a box office hit, grossing over $300 million worldwide on a $35 million budget. The popularity of the novel, combined with strong word of mouth, resulted in a rare mid budget success. Lionsgate has already confirmed a sequel, with production scheduled to begin in 2026. Director Paul Feig, is set to return, alongside Sydney Sweeney and Michele Morrone.
McFadden has established herself as one of the most popular authors in the thriller genre, in the past few years, and The Housemaid marks her first novel adapted into a feature film. As the book is the first in a trilogy, the success of this film, and the sequel already planned, it makes it likely that the full trilogy will eventually make its way to the screen.
It Ends with Us and Regretting You
Colleen Hoover’s novels have become a polarising topic of conversation, but their popularity and commercial appeal are undeniable. It Ends with Us grossed over $350 million worldwide against a modest $25 million production budget. Given the novel’s status as a viral sensation on TikTok, and over 10 million copies sold globally, the film’s box office performance came with little surprise, and possibly could have earned more.
Hoover’s next adaptation, Regretting You, while not reaching the same cultural or commercial heights as It Ends with Us, it still stands as a solid entry in her growing slate of screen adaptations with a $90 million gross against a $30 million budget. Starring familiar young stars; McKenna Grace and Mason Thames, the film reinforces the continued appetite for Hoover’s contemporary romance stories.
Looking ahead, the romance story Reminders of Him is set to release in March 2026, while the psychological thriller Verity, starring Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson, and Josh Hartnett is scheduled for October 2026. Both adapted from Hoover’s novels of the same name.
Heated Rivalry
One of the most significant adaptation successes of recent years is Heated Rivalry, which propelled its two leads, Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, into overnight stardom. Adapted from Rachel Reid’s Canadian romance novel set in the world of professional hockey, the series has become a cultural phenomenon with an extremely dedicated fanbase.
The story follows two rival hockey players engaged in a secret relationship, blending romance with themes of self discovery, self acceptance, and public pressure. Its success highlights the growing demand for inclusive romance narratives and character driven storytelling.
Missing the mark
Despite the growing demand, book to screen adaptations are not always successful, no matter how popular the books or authors are. This can be seen with Netflix’s People We Meet on Vacation, adapted from Emily Henry’s novel of the same name. Starring Tom Blyth and Emily Bader, the film follows two best friends who commit to taking one vacation together each year until a falling out halts their tradition for two years, as we watch them try and revive their friendship.
While the Blyth and Bader share some chemistry, it ultimately falls short of what audiences expect from a sweeping love story. Unfortunately, the film has become a cautionary tale about straying too far from the source material. By simplifying the story into a formulaic and simple Netflix rom-com, the adaptation lost much of the characters’ emotional depth that made the novel so beloved. Ratings and viewership were lukewarm, and fan reception was largely mediocre.
That said, People We Meet on Vacation is not widely regarded as Emily Henry’s strongest novel. With film and television rights sold for five of her books to date, there remains optimism that future adaptations will better capture her voice and storytelling.
Another disappointment was Netflix’s My Oxford Year, which struggled to elevate its source material and lacked the built in popularity needed to support a successful adaptation.
What’s Next
There are many more adaptations on the horizon.
While classic stories written by the likes of Emily Bronte and Jane Austen, not needing any introduction, a new adaptation of Wuthering Heights starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi will release this month on Valentines Day. And another adaptation of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility starring Daisy Edgar Jones, and George MacKay is set to release September 2026.
Even if audiences are not yet familiar with Freida McFadden’s name, they soon will be. Deadline has reported multiple McFadden projects currently in development: Never Lie is in early development at Netflix through Shawn Levy’s production company; Sony has acquired the rights to The Surrogate Mother; Amazon MGM Studios has secured Dear Debbie and The Tenant; and Apple Studios will adapt The Teacher. With the exception of The Tenant, all are female led psychological thrillers.
Ali Hazelwood’s The Love Hypothesis starring Lili Reinhart and Tom Bateman is scheduled for 2026 but has not been given an official release date as of yet.
Overall, there has been a resurgence for more thrillers and romance novels to be adapted into a feature film or television series but especially those led by female characters.
